Plate 2
This plate specifically honors not just well known historians as Al Brehm,Charlie Schaut, Eddie Lion, Harry Conrad, and Doc Dornisch, but also Fr. Remegius,The Krellner boys,and their Jersey valley museum. The Bauer boys and the other Shawmut and lumbering buffs, the late Fr. Timothy O.S.B., who made a half century study of local dialects, the pre settlement historians: Jim Herbstitt senior and Junior,and the many others whose investigations and studies have enriched our lives. A full description of the plate can be found and purchased in a book titled "The Historical Society Plates of St. Marys and Benzinger
Twp" which can be found at the local Historical Society. Photo by Katie Weidenboerner.

Plate 3
This plate does honor to the area's "Old Schoolhouses". Central to the design is the town's first schoolhouse, a primitive one room wooden shingled structure built in 1847 as part of the church, cloister,monastery and school complex on the hospital curve near the residence of Harrison Stackpole. This complex was built by Redemptorist priests, who invited Notre Dame nuns from a Munich convent to come and serve as teachers. In 1852 the teaching chores were taken over by the first Benedictine nuns arriving from Germany.The exact date the stopped using the school is uncertain, but the building itself was still standing in the early years of this century, used by the Pilz family, who managed the "Monastery Farm" as a sheep shed.A full description of the plate can be found and purchased in a book titled "The Historical Society Plates of St. Marys and Benzinger
Twp" at the local Historical Society. Photo by Katie Weidenboerner.

Plate 4
Probably nothing in local history has been romanticized as the Shawmut Railroad. This little Railroad, which over the years has caught the imagination of so many, was said the begin nowhere and end nowhere.It operated during its entire life span in a state of bankruptcy. This plate is dedicated to the Shawmut line and the many local familys whose life it touched during the first half of this century. A full description of the plate can be found and purchased in a book titled "The Historical Society Plates of St. Marys and Benzinger
Twp" at the local Historical Society. Photo by Katie Weidenboerner.

Plate 5
The bandstand was built in 1890 from a design by Sebastian Wimmer, an engineer of high international reputation and one of the towns most illustrious citizens. The bandstand , which was supposedly inspired by one in Munich Germany was never very popular.It has on its first floor a badly leaking gas regulator of the newly organized St. Marys Gas co. Smoking was not permitted in or near it and because of the narrow stairway, the larger instruments had to be towed up from the outside. It stood on the diamond for 30 years. A member of the St. Marys Coronet band , organized in 1882, is in the foreground. One of the 3 cannons that used to occupy the diamond is also visible. A full description of the plate can be found and purchased in a book titled "The Historical Society Plates of St. Marys and Benzinger
Twp" at the local Historical Society. Photo by Katie Weidenboerner.

Plate 6
The scroll lists the names of the communitys sons who died while serving in the nations armed forces. The top names the Civil War casualties followed by WWI- battle and influenza casualties. The large middle group are the soldier who died during WWII (one out of every 30 served). They are followed by the men who did not return from Korea and 'Nam and, finally are those who died between the various hostilities. A full description of the plate can be found ( and purchased) in the book Historical Society Plates of St. Marys and Benzinger TWP. which can be found at the local historical Society.

Plate 7
Plate #7 shows a number of local factorys and industries that have disappeared from the St. Marys scene. Most of those pictured are from the 1890-1920 periodof mushrooming, industrial expansion, during the great days of the wood, clay and railroading businesses and the beginning of carbon. These were also the years when a great number of people form Eastern Europe were moving into the area to fill the demand for a large workforce. Many public utilities , as we know them, were blossoming: oil and gas wells were being sunk, the automobile was appearing on the scene, roads were being paved, and lots of new buildings were being erected. A full description of the plate can be found ( and purchased) in the book Historical Society Plates of St. Marys and Benzinger TWP. which can be found at the local historical Society. Photo by Katie Weidenboerner.

Plate 8
This plate has a dual theme of recalling many of the most dramatic and important fires the community has endured, as well as honoring all of the people,throughout the history of the town, who risked life and limb to battle one of mens oldest enemies. A full description of the plate can be found ( and purchased) in the book Historical Society Plates of St. Marys and Benzinger TWP. which can be found at the local historical Society. Photo by Katie Weidenboerner.

Plate 9
This plate shows a number of the places where the community played and recreated itself in the "Good Old Days". Oldest of those is Babylon probably est. in the 1870's. For nearly 3 decades this popular spot on Crossroads near Silver Creek was the scene of many of the communitys picnics and activities. Included also on the plate is Zwack's Pond, the first Elk Co. Fair,Berwind Park, the old Temple Theter and more. The full history can be found in the book "The Historical Society Plates of St. Marys and Benzinger TWp. Which can be purchased at the local Historical Society.

Plate 10
This plate recalls the livery stables, blacksmith and harness shops, wagon manufacturers. The background of the entire design is a wagon wheel bearing the name Hauber Wagon Works. Started by Sebastian Hauber in 1856, and later it was carried on by his descendants. This prominent concern stood where The St. Marys Home Health Care stands today. All kinds of farm and delivery wagons ad town carriages were built here as were sleds and cutters. Blacksmithing, horseshoeing, and eventually auto repair and Studebaker sales were all part of the Hauber business. A full description of the plate can be found ( and purchased) in the book Historical Society Plates of St. Marys and Benzinger TWP. which can be found at the local historical Society. Photo by Katie Weidenboerner.

Plate 11
This plate recognizes the religious origins of the community and some of the historical facts of that aspect of it's past. St. MArys or Marienstadt ,as it was first called, had been settled by German Catholics from the Philadelphia and Baltimore area in 1842. It was a period in American history where the "know nothing" party was being particularly nasty to new immigrants, especially the "Papists". Neither the German nor Catholic exclusiveness of its original charter were to survive very long, but they di impart a lasting personality to St. Marys. A full description of the plate can be found ( and purchased) in the book Historical Society Plates of St. Marys and Benzinger TWP. which can be found at the local historical Society. Photo by Katie Weidenboerner.